Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-12-03
Government Lands

Aottchs eso cOnt1nuSLy hfxRFicS l5k-
 inE the price of public lsaSs. snd soUle
 nGke reque5: that agents seoure
 houses Tor people whc live in Indiana.
 Illinois and Ohio. This arises from the
 fact taas people sass are not informed m
 the land laws, and think that sll inst ig
 necessary in taking claims is for the
 papers to be filed by en agent, and then
 they can pay out on the land the same
 as though the purchase was from private individuals.
 Any person except soldiers and sol diers heirs must make affidavit that they are acquainted with the land they are entering, and also make affidavit that to the best ot their knoTledge there is no mineral on the sens.
 PREPARATIONS.
 Section 176 says that every person being the head of family, widow, or single person over the age of tEenty-one and citizen of the United States. or having filed a declaration of intention to become such, ss required by the nsturEl- nation laws. who has made or hereafter makes SETTLEMENT IN PERSON on the public lands subject to pre-sr1 ption, and who inhabits and improves She same and who has erected a dwelling thereon is authorized to enter with Inc register Of the United States land office for the dis trict in which the land hes, by legal sub division any number of acres not e1- csedinG one hundred and sixty acres or 8 quarter section of land to include the residence of such claimant upon paying the United States minimum price of such land. No person vho i5 the FTo- prietor st three hundred and twenty acres can pre-empt land. No person vho quits or abandons his own land Co l reside on pubic land in ihe same state of territory csn pre-enpt Persons can l however, take homesteRds Gad timber | claims whether he has tke three hundred | and twenty Rcres or not; neither does the | law prohibit bis taking 6 homestead | Ehen he has left residence on his own | land. The above srly refers to pre- emptionA
 The 1rst requirement in taking pre- emption is to select the quarter section | desired, and ascertain from the Land | Office record that it is vacant and sub ject 10 entry. He must then make some Not stick up stakes, but make some substantial improve ments, and then within ninety days fle sSeclsrntorY statement for the land in the local land office. the fees for which are three dollars. A residence must be established on the land when the in prov- rcents are first begun, sad continuous residence is obligatory.
 After 6 continuous residence upon for six months settlement can be proven and the government priee being paid, there will be 0 final receipt issued Co the pre-emptOr; but ID case either does not desire to make final proof at the end of six months, he has thirty three months from the time hs made settlement.
 HOMESTEAD
 Entries must be made in person, usually before the Register of the local Land Office sRd the entry fees are sixteen dollars. The requirements of the home stead law are about the same ss those of ihe pIe-empsion, except that residence cen be established within six months after making fling; but homestesds are subject to contests if settlers fail to get on the land inside of six months sitter entry. Homestesds may be proved up in six months and paid out on, the same as pre-emptiOns. but can be proved ap in SIX years without paying. In making final proof the settler will be required to give the number of times he or she has been sbgess from the claim, where vent, and for what they won't, and sTe questioned regarding the amount of in- proyements they have. If in the judgment of the Register and Receiver the law has not beeo complied with they will not is- cue final receipt.
 rIkBRB CLAIMS
 Do not require & residence. Timber claims must be entered by personal 8p- plication sworn Co within the land dis lrIct where the land is situated, before some officer having asesl and author ised to administer oath. Claimant must have five acres broken the first year, the second year must have five acres broken and culatIvste the first breaking. the third year must put trees, seeds or in the first i've acres and cdlti- Tste the second five; the fourth year must set ont the second five acres in trees, tree seed, CT tree cuttings. If ID eight years there are six thousand seven hundred and fifty growing trees on the irsct, claimant can make final proof and secure 6 patent Government fees in timber culture claims are fourteen dol lars for entry and ten dollars for final proof.
 All duties required by the timber cul- .ure laws may be done by others except she entry and final proof; nor is he or she required to reside near the land but will always be expected to comply with the law in regard to improvements
 There is no fixed amount of improve nents required in homestead or pre- emp,ion law. residence and cultivation in good faith ss . home and 6 farm to she claimants best ability Is held to be the requirement of the law.
 soLDIlRs HoMIsrzADs-
 soldiers who served in the United 6taies army for ninety days and were discharged and have lived loyal to the government can fle declsr- story statements on one hundred and sixty scres of yssant land, by an aRen. through the power of attorney ID . form prescribed by law. This power can be executed before 6 notary public anywhere in the United States, snd sent to some reliable agent who will se- lect the quarter section of land and file on it for the soldier. This filing will absolutely hold the land for six months without the residence of claimant. At the end of six months the solder must begin @ residence and make another fling, called the final entry, at which time he pays a fee the same as in home stead cases. Soldiers are compelled to live st least one year on their claims, but they can deduct their service as soldier from the five years required by the common homestead and thus get their patent in shorter time than he who has not served bis county ss 8 soldier. Soldiers widows are entitled to use the deceased husbands service while in the var, to assist her in proving up clGiu, and If the widow is dead. then one of the minor heirs can use the right: but It must be done through the guardian of the child. Widows and orphans of sol diers will not be required to cultivate the land or to personally do the work but can cause the same to be done ey h1n N<, l.. farr